How many c sections can a woman have

About 3 out of 4 women who try for a VBAC succeed. If you're interested in having a VBAC, talk to your doctor to weigh the risks and benefits.

And check with your hospital ahead of time to make sure they'll allow it. If they don't and you have your heart set on a vaginal birth, you may need to change hospitals. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. A caesarean may be recommended as a planned elective procedure or done in an emergency if it's thought a vaginal birth is too risky.

If there's time to plan the procedure, your midwife or doctor will discuss the benefits and risks of a caesarean compared with a vaginal birth. If you ask your midwife or doctor for a caesarean when there are not medical reasons, they'll explain the overall benefits and risks of a caesarean to you and your baby compared with a vaginal birth.

If you're anxious about giving birth, you should be offered the chance to discuss your anxiety with a healthcare professional who can offer support during your pregnancy and labour. If after discussing all the risks and hearing about all the support on offer you still feel that a vaginal birth is not an acceptable option, you should be offered a planned caesarean.

If your doctor is unwilling to perform the operation, they should refer you to a doctor who will. Most caesareans are carried out under spinal or epidural anaesthetic. This mean you'll be awake, but the lower part of your body is numbed so you will not feel any pain.

Occasionally, a general anaesthetic where you're asleep may be used, particularly if the baby needs to be delivered more quickly. Find out more about how a caesarean is carried out. The average stay in hospital after a caesarean is around 3 or 4 days, compared with an average of 1 or 2 days for a vaginal birth. You may experience some discomfort in your tummy for the first few days. You'll be offered painkillers to help with this.

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